Chapter 1
Juan
Damn, how long had I been standing here just staring. Had she noticed me just standing here like a creep? Maybe I should have gone to ask if she needed help. But that would have probably scared her.
“Charlie!” I yelled out and whistled, “Come here boy, Charlie! Ven (come)”
My dog (Charlie- golden retriever) came running from the backyard.
“C’mon let’s go inside.”
I had let my dog go outside to do his business and enjoy the outside for a bit since it was almost sunset. I had adopted Charlie from a lady on an online ad I had seen 8 years ago and ever since then he’s been by my side. I loved this doggie.
As we went inside I looked back trying to see if she was still there. She wasn’t. The trunk to the SUV no longer opened. I went inside the house. Walking into the living room, where I saw my mom sitting on the couch.
My mamá (mom) was 59 years old. I had decided to move back in. I was a bit homesick after being gone so long and after Emily. It made sense to me that I’d come back home after everything that had happened; it was just Charlie and me.
Growing up we lived in the same town, just a different house that was rented. When all my siblings and I got older we decided to all pitch in to buy my mamá her home. She didn’t want to leave Luxorville. She liked this small town.
“Hey amá (ma), who’s the people that live across the street over there?” I asked, pointing through the window.
“Oh they are relatives of the Martínez family. ¿Te acuerdas de la familia Martínez que viven en la calle tres (Remember the Martinez family, they live in 3rd Street)? One of their daughters bought that place a couple years ago. Vive con sus hijos casi todos ya están grandes (She lives with most of her children. They are almost all grown up.),” replied my mom.
“Si, I remember them,” I said, “So then the muchacha (lady) I saw earlier must have been su hija (her daughter)?”
“Si, Adalia creo que es su nombre, es muy calladita (Yes, Adalia I think is her name, she’s very quiet.),” My mom arches her eyebrow and smirks, “¿Porque? (Why?)”
“No mas pregunto (Just asking). La vi de lejos (I saw her from afar) and she looked familiar.”
Before my mom began getting ideas and playing matchmaker because she loves doing that, I made my escape. “Anyways, me voy para mi cuarto (I am going to my room) let me know if you need anything.” I didn’t walk, I ran to my room.
I should have asked someone else, but I was curious to know who she was. She did look familiar. Maybe from back in high school. Now my mom’s probably planning how many grandkids she will have. She thinks I’m her personal bachelor show and she’s the producer despite me telling her that I’m fine the way I am and that I am not ready.
Adalia? I kept thinking. Pulling out my phone from my pocket I decided to look her up on social media typing Adalia Martinez since that’s all I had. I searched several social media apps with no luck. Hmm maybe I am not looking up the right name.
After a while of being on my phone, time flew by and it was already 10 PM. I decided to get ready for bed since I was going to have an interview tomorrow for a new job. I had some money saved up before I moved here, but I preferred if I knew I had cash coming in from somewhere since bills never stop coming.
